


Not the Only Option

by hockeylvr59 (gleefanatic)



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Breeding Kink, F/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:51:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22167721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gleefanatic/pseuds/hockeylvr59
Relationships: Tyson Barrie/Reader
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

Tyson had always, always been there for you no matter what so you weren’t sure why you were so suprised at the offer that had left his mouth the night before. He’d told you to take your time thinking about it, that there was no need to rush such a big decision but despite logic trying to interfere, your heart was screaming at you to accept. 

Being friends with Tyson Barrie had been easy. He was the sweetest man on the face of the planet, he was respectful, he was funny, and he had a body that could make any sane woman swoon. Over the course of the year that you’d known him you’d passed the line of casual friendship into what you’d consider your closest relationship with anyone outside of your family.

Six months ago he’d given you a key to his home and sometimes it truly felt like you spent more time there than at your own apartment. He had a backyard that was perfect to sit and enjoy over a cup of tea, a fireplace that made any cold Colorado day warm and cozy and an office that allowed you to be more productive than you had ever been in your own apartment. On top of all of that, his mattress was heaven and you had never fallen asleep faster than when you crawled into his bed.

Three months ago you’d started to look into in vitro fertilization and Tyson was the first person you’d told. You wanted a baby, the desire to be a mother had hit you young and you had been biding your time hoping to not only find a guy to fall in love with but to be stable enough financially that you could bring a child into the world and be able to give them everything they needed.

As a successful writer, you’d finally managed to check the second box on the list but at 27, there had been no prospects in regards to the first. Being one step closer had your biological clock ticking faster than ever. Of course, you were still young and had plenty of time but you’d always wanted a large family and you wanted to be able to enjoy that family for as long as possible.

Tyson had been supportive from the start. If being a mother was what you wanted then he believed that you should go for it. He’d cautioned you that being a single mother wasn’t easy but if anyone could do it, it was you. He’d even offered to help you look through profiles of sperm donors if you needed a second opinion.

And you had, you’d gotten a stack of donor profiles and had read and reread them over and over again. You’d even thought you’d chosen one but when you’d met with a fertility doctor and gone over the whole process you freaked out. Could you really do this alone? Could you really tell yourself that you didn’t need or want someone there with you every step of the way? Could you pretend that you were okay with the sterile feeling of it all?

It was that appointment that had you second guessing everything and led you to Tyson’s couch. Finding the recipe and ingredients for his mother’s lava cakes you tried to take your mind off of it, tried to convince yourself that you could do it because it was the only way you could see yourself becoming a mother.

When Tyson came home from his game, he’d found you curled up on his couch, a plate of lava cake in your hands and a glass of wine on the table. One look at your face and he was topping your glass off before retreating to his bedroom to change so he could join you with both a glass of wine and a lava cake for himself.

“What’s wrong?” He’d asked, the heat of his body radiating toward you as he pressed himself into the couch at your side. Highlights from his game played silently on the tv across the room as he brushed his free hand over your thigh.

“I don’t think I can do it.” You whispered, tears spilling from your eyes onto the plate. It took Tyson a minute to follow the subject but once he did he set his plate on the coffee table before pulling yours from your hands to place it on the table as well.

“What do you mean? You were so excited about it this morning.” The hand that had been on your thigh tugged your legs over his lap and he reached forward to brush your tears from your cheeks.

“I don’t know…I can’t really describe it but it just doesn’t. It doesn’t feel right Tyson.” You murmured. “I want a baby so bad, I want to be a mom but I don’t know if I can do it on my own. I thought I was fine with the idea of never falling in love and having a baby that way but I’m not. All I could think about while the doctor was explaining the steps was that it felt so sterile, unnatural.”

As always, Tyson knew when to speak and when to let you process your own thoughts and so silence stretched between you for nearly five minutes while his fingers trailed patterns over your legs.

“In vitro isn’t your only option you know.” He finally declared. “You’re a healthy young woman who can get pregnant naturally.”

Looking over at him you sighed and rolled your eyes wanting to point out the obvious but before you could Tyson continued.

“I know you’re going to say that there isn’t a guy in your life, you aren’t in a relationship, and that you don’t see a relationship happening any time in the near future but just hear me out.” Biting your lip you nodded your acknowledgement, and your eyebrows raised when Tyson’s hands moved from your thigh to lace your fingers with his own. It took him a minute to clear his throat and you could almost see the gears turning in his head as he thought about what to say and how to say it.

“I love you y/n. I love you as more than a friend but I’ve never been great at the whole relationship thing either.” His confession made your eyes go wide and your pulse jumped but you remained quiet needing to hear where he was going with this even if deep in your gut you knew. You couldn’t believe that he was possibly going to say it though and you blinked quickly to try and stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

“From the moment you mentioned in vitro I hated the idea but you seemed so excited that I didn’t want to say or do anything to take that away from you. All I want is for you to be happy. And you seemed so set on doing all of this on your own. The moment you decided on in vitro I started thinking about the what ifs. What if I had told you I love you? What if we could have a baby together? I’m not getting any younger either and while being a dad is a scary thought, there’s a part of me that grows larger every day that wants it.”

Tyson ran his fingers through his hair as his paused, the other hand squeezing yours as his thumb brushed against your skin.

“And I know this is out of nowhere and may seem a little crazy and I wouldn’t blame you at all if you want no part of it, but let me help. Let me be the one to go through the miracle of life with you. Let me get you pregnant. The natural way.”

From the look in his eyes you could tell that he meant every single word that he had said and you couldn’t hold the tears back as you thought about just what he was offering you.

“Don’t answer me now.” He added, turning his head in order to press his lips to your temple. “Take some time and think about it. I’m not going anywhere.”

__

Tyson was right, it was crazy, you had never thought in a million years that he’d want you like that. But he loved you and though you’d been lying to yourself about just being friends, you loved him too. You had never felt as comfortable around someone as you did Tyson and secretly you’d imagined what he’d be like as a father.

It was crazy, but now that the idea was in your head you couldn’t shake it. It could get messy and complicated but that was what life was and you knew that Tyson would never hurt you.

So you stopped taking your pill that evening and waited for Tyson to get home from his latest road trip to tell him. Even though you itched to tell him now, you didn’t want to distract him on the road and it seemed like a conversation better suited for in person anyway.

—-

Three days later Tyson finally arrived home. You thought about being there when he arrived but decided that he needed his rest and they were due in late anyway. The next morning however, you let yourself in around 8 and started coffee for him before digging out the ingredients for pancakes and bacon.

You were pouring orange juice into glasses at the kitchen table when you felt a hand on your lower back. It made you jump but then a giggle escaped your throat at the sight of a sleepy Tyson smiling down at you. He looked between you and the table and what was still going on his stove and instantly his eyes lit up and both hands wrapped around your waist.

“Is this a yes?” He questioned, and when you nodded affirmatively, he tugged you tight against him before pulling away and tangling his fingers in your hair. “I’m going to kiss you now.” He declared, ever the gentleman to always give you a chance to back out. That was the last thing you wanted though and so when his mouth pressed against yours, you responded eagerly, parting your lips upon his request. When you couldn’t breathe you pulled away, your palm pressing against his chest as you stared at him before sneaking a quick kiss and turning away to fetch breakfast before it burned.

Throughout the entirety of breakfast, Tyson couldn’t stop touching you, either his hand was over yours, or his legs were brushing your own under the table. You couldn’t remember ever seeing him happier than he was right now, and honestly you felt the same about yourself.

As you put the dishes away and worked to clean up his kitchen, Tyson stood behind you and his presence made you shiver.

“How soon can we get started?” He breathed in your ear causing you to gasp.

“I um…it usually takes a few weeks after stopping the pill before ovulation starts again.” You knew your answer was slightly awkward and when Tyson chuckled behind you before turning you to face him, you blushed. WIth his hand cupping your cheek he smiled just looking at you.

“So a few weeks before you can get pregnant? That’s not so bad. I didn’t realize you were still on the pill though.”

“It was just easier to stay on it to help regulate things until I had a set plan in place.” You explained finding it weird, but not uncomfortable to be talking about these things with him. “I’ve been taking extra folic acid for a few months now though so that my body is prepared nutrient wise for a baby.”

Tyson nodded and wrapped his arms around you, his head tucked into your hair.

“I have to leave for practice soon but god I’m excited about all of this. I hope you know that.” As you let him get ready to leave you brushed your fingers over your flat stomach looking forward to the day it showed signs of a baby growing inside of you. As he gathered his keys and wallet to leave, Tyson stopped for a minute, just leaning against the counter.

“So. Any plans for Friday night? It’s only right that I take you on a date before we start the baby making.”

“I think I could rearrange my schedule.” You tease, walking around the counter to kiss him softly, just because you could. “I’m definitely free when it comes to you.”

—-

Your first date had been everything you could have dreamed of and more. The more time you spent with Tyson like this, the more you were truly falling in love with him.

It had been just over two weeks since you’d stopped taking your pills, the day after you’d agreed to having a baby with Tyson you’d gotten a very light period and now the milky discharge from your body seemed to be signaling that you were ovulating.

Tyson was playing a home game tonight and it had been too long since you’d gone to support him so you tugged a jersey on and headed to the Pepsi Center after purchasing a ticket as close to the ice as you could get. You ended up about four rows back, right above the Avs tunnel. It was the opposite side of the tunnel from the bench but the seats were still fantastic and you were fairly sure that Tyson would see you from here.

At warmups you stood at the glass and Gabe was actually the first to spot you. You’d met the Swede a couple times over the past year and when he saw you he waved before skating your way.

“Does Tyson know you’re here?” He called throught the glass.

“Not until he spots me he doesn’t.” You called back to which Gabe nodded and skating off toward your favorite defenseman by the bench. Grabbing a warm up puck he handed it to Tyson and motioned vaguely in your direction, surely mentioning that someone had a sign or something requesting a puck and that he should take it over. It wasn’t until he was almost in front of you that Tyson’s face flashed recognition and you waved and winked at him before turning so that he could see the ‘Barrie’ on the back of your jersey.

“Love it!” He called out holding the puck up in your direction. “Love you.” He added causing you to blush. Still, you didn’t need a puck and spotting a few young fans just feet away from you, you nodded your head in their direction signaling that he should toss the puck to them instead. The looks on their faces when he did was everything and you sent him another wink as he turned to resume stretching and drills to warm up for the game.

At the end of warmups you returned to your seat and not two minutes later your phone buzzed in your pocket. Opening the text from Tyson you smiled.

And that is one of the many reasons you’re going to be a great mom. Thanks for the assist with the puck delivery.

Though you didn’t want to mess with his game, you did want him to know that he had plans after and so you debated for a minute before responding.

You’re welcome. And about that mom thing…I might need your assistance tonight.

You didn’t even have time to put your phone back in your pocket before it buzzed again.

Shit, seriously?? It’s time??

Seriously. I think it might be. My body is giving signals to yes.

Tyson didn’t respond after that but you honestly couldn’t blame him. He did have a game that he needed to focus on and play. The game was fantastic, Tyson was like a man on a mission and in more than one way that was actually true. After the game Tyson motioned for you to head to the locker room and when you reached security it was clear that the message he was expecting you had been passed along.

When he exited the locker room in his suit, your thighs clenched at how good he looked and he quickly swept you into his arms causing you to giggle as he twirled you around.

“You ready to go?” You asked him, as your fingers grazed his chest over his dress shirt.

“Absolutely ma’am.” He responded and after stretching to kiss him gently, you murmured that you would meet him at his place.

Pulling into the driveway mere minutes after Tyson must have, you grabbed the bag you’d thrown in the car for overnight before heading up the driveway and letting yourself inside.

Tyson’s jacket was draped over a stool at the counter, his shoes were set neatly at the door, and his tie was dropped to the floor that headed to the hallway where the bedrooms were located. Locking the door behind you, you flipped lights off as you went, until you appeared at his bedroom where he stood unbuttoning his shirt to reveal the hard muscles that were hidden underneath. Again wetness pooled between your thighs as you watched him and when he finally noticed you he stopped.

“Don’t stop undressing on my account…” You teased, walking toward him to trail your fingers over the now exposed skin. “After all, that kind of is the point of tonight, isn’t it?” When Tyson kissed you instead of resuming his actions, your fingers drifted to the buttons on their own accord, slipping the buttons through their holes with as much dexerity as you could manage while being thoroughly kissed. When the last button was undone you reached up to push the shirt from his shoulders and moaned softly as he nipped at your bottom lip in reply.

“Tyson…please.” You whimpered desperate not only at the thought of getting pregnant, but also at just finally sleeping with the man you had fallen in love with. You had wound yourself up over it all day and patience was not something you had in mind for tonight.

With your own fingers drifting to undo Tyson’s belt, he finally was spurred into action, his fingers finding the bottom of your jersey and the long sleeve t-shirt under it so that he could tug both items of clothing up and over your head. While you tugged the belt out of his pants, Tyson’s fingers fiddled with the clasp of your bra until you were both standing half naked. Feeling his eyes on you, you couldn’t help but blush causing Tyson to smirk a little as he pulled you close and into a kiss.

“I need you.” You moaned softly, your hands roaming over Tyson’s back.

“The feeling is mutual, beautiful.” Tyson murmured in your ear as his hands slipped to your ass causing you to gasp as you felt his hard length pressed between you.

Unable to wait any longer, you took a step back from Tyson, quickly undoing the button of your jeans before sliding the material down your legs and kicking them aside so that you could retreat to lay on the bed. In that same time Tyson had slipped out of his own pants as well as his dress socks, leaving him in just his boxer briefs as he crawled onto the bed next to you.

“Come ‘ere.” He said softly, his hands guiding you toward the middle of the bed as he pressed his weight on top of you while his mouth pressed kisses over the exposed skin of your neck and upper chest. Immediately, your legs parted to provide him with access to your body and another moan left you as his mouth dipped down to lathe attention to your breasts.

From your breasts, Tyson moved further down to kiss at your stomach and the hand that wasn’t tugging at your panties reached up to lace his fingers with yours.

“You ready to become a mama?” He breathed, kissing your stomach one more time before returning to press his mouth against yours.

“So ready…” You assured him, your legs working to remove the last barriers between you. “Are you ready daddy?” The way Tyson’s eyes darkened told you everything you needed to know and you gasped as he ran his fingers over your core to insure that your body was as ready as it needed to be.

Within moments, his fingers were replaced with him, and you whimpered slightly at the stretch before you moaned as pleasure took over.

“Feel good?” He prompted, lacing the hand that wasn’t holding him up from crushing you with yours. His strokes were slow, letting you feel every inch of him as he moved within you and when your lips weren’t crashed to his, you found yourself seeking out every inch of skin you could reach, gasping and moaning as you pressed your mouth to his body.

A roll of your hips against his sparked more frantic movements from Tyson and it was clear that neither of you was going to last as long as you’d like.

“C’mon baby. Cum for me.” He muttered into your neck as his hips stuttered. You were close but needed just a bit more to push you over the edge.

“It’s okay Tys…let go…” You breathed certain that when he did you would come crashing after him.

Within a moment he was calling your name as he spilled inside of you and immediately your body responded, reaching its own peak, squeezing tightly around his length.

By the time you caught your breath you couldn’t help but giggle as Tyson rolled off to your side. His eyebrows raised in a curious expression and you simply shook your head before kissing him.

“I wouldn’t mind doing that again.” You assured him causing a smile to take over his face as well.

“Good because I’m definitely not letting you go anywhere any time soon.” Laying there sweaty and sated, you couldn’t help but imagine spending the rest of your life like this and you were grateful that you couldn’t go through with in vitro, grateful that Tyson had told you his feelings for you as a result and grateful that even though technically you’d only been dating for a few weeks that he was 100% willing to start a family with you.

Even if you didn’t get pregnant tonight, you had hope that it would happen soon enough and when it did you couldn’t wait to be able to tell Tyson that he was going to be a daddy.


	2. Chapter 2

Four months, you had been waiting for this moment for four months.

Despite your hopes of conceiving on your first attempt, finding out that you hadn’t really didn’t surprise you. Of course, you were disappointed but this was all a part of the process. Tyson had certainly given it his all and each time the two of you had sex it was better than the last. While you were consciously trying to conceive, sex mainly served as a way for you and Tyson to become closer than ever. Neither one of you wanted to lose sight of just enjoying each other, after all, the more relaxed you were about all of it, the better it would be for your body in order to get pregnant.

Four months later, after a week and a half of planning, you could finally let Tyson in on the secret you were hiding. You’d gotten the assistance of Gabe, the rest of the team, as well as the equipment staff and now it was just a waiting game.

You’d flown to Anaheim to meet up with the team on the road and Gabe had managed to get you a seat on the team plane as they continued onto Dallas so that you could spend some time with Tyson after delivering the news. The boys had crushed the Ducks, moods were already high, and so it was definitely a good night for all of this to go down.

Tyson had no idea you were here as you waited at the exit to the bus after the game. You thought you’d come up with a pretty cute plan and you couldn’t wait to see his reaction. Josty was currently just hanging out in the locker room, with orders to face time you silently so that you could see it firsthand.

As the guys finished showering and dressing in their suits, Gabe called out to make sure that they grabbed their bags from their stalls to help the equipment crew out so that they could get on the road faster. Tyson’s real bag had already been brought to the bus and in its place was your surprise.

Your anxiety was building as you waited and when Josty’s face time request came through you answered it immediately, smiling as you saw your man walking out of the bathroom area of the locker room dressed in his suit so that he could gather his things.

You could see the puzzled look appear on his face as he saw that the bag in his stall was tiny, no bigger than a backpack. There was no way his gear would fit inside and it made you giggle wondering what was going through his head.

“Yo. Where’s my bag?” You heard him whine and immediately a sarcastic ‘right in front of you’ came from somewhere on Josty’s left.

“That’s not my bag.” He declared as he stood, hands on his hips, surveying the room. You hoped that Josty was making it look like he was just scanning social media or something because you didn’t want Tyson to know he was being filmed.

After a moment Gabe approached and rested a hand on Tyson’s shoulder.

“It’s your bag if you don’t believe us open it.” You were certain Tyson believed that this was part of a prank and that he was skeptical, one of the reasons that this idea had seemed like so much fun when you’d come up with it.

As he started to open the bag, your stomach flipped and you gently rested a palm over it, mentally telling the baby growing inside of you to calm down. Thinking about the things you’d placed inside the bag you couldn’t help but smile. You’d gotten the bag which matched the Avs actual gear bags from the equipment staff after Gabe put in the request.

Inside you’d placed baby bottles filled with Tyson’s favorite candies, a few diapers, wipes, and a “Dude you’re gonna be a dad” book. On top of those, the first things visible when the bag was completely unzipped were a baby Barrie jersey, knit skate baby booties, and knit gloves shaped to look like hockey gloves. Layered between all of that, in case the top layer didn’t give it all away, was a framed ultrasound photo with ‘NHL Draft Class 2038?’ written below on the glass.

You knew that Tyson wouldn’t even think anything of seeing the jersey until he actually processed its size and you were thankful when Josty moved a bit so that you could actually catch some of Tyson’s expressions. Gabe was leaning against the locker next to him, and you could see the rest of the guys watching while trying not to make it obvious that they were.

Seconds later, Tyson’s eyes started to water as he took in the baby jersey and knit items. “This is sweet guys but she’s not pregnant yet…” He trailed off and you had to struggle to not laugh at Tyson for thinking that the bag was from his teammates. There was no other reaction for a moment as he folded and set aside the jersey, booties, and gloves.

It was only when he realized that there was more, that you watched him freeze. You watched as he picked up the framed picture, as he took in the words you’d written and his brain processed the grainy 8-week ultrasound picture you’d had done just the day before. Suddenly he was squatting low in front of his stall and you could hear his shaky laugh/sob through the phone.

“Is this real?” He questioned softly, his voice cracking with emotion as he started to full on cry. “Shit I need to call her.” He added, fumbling for his phone. Not wanting to ruin the second part of the surprise right this moment, Gabe reached out to stop him.

“You can call from the bus…we need to get going.” He instructed, but the smile on his face showed just how happy he was for one of his best friends. He’d pulled you into the biggest hug when you’d met him for lunch to plan this and he was genuinely overjoyed for the two of you despite how crazy the whole situation may seem.

You watched as Tyson nodded, carefully placing everything back in the bag before zipping it back up and hiking it over his shoulder. Wiping his tears away he tried to pull himself back together.

“But for real, where’s my actual bag?” He asked, voice still moist with overflowing emotion.

“It’s already on the bus,” Gabe assured him before grabbing his own bag so that the team could finally leave the arena. Quickly, Josty flipped the camera back to face him so he could wink at you before ending the call.

Based on the last glimpse you’d had of the boys, Gabe and Tyson were going to be the last out of the room and so as the rest of the team filed by you to the bus, they bumped your shoulder gently or fist bumped you in acknowledgment, not wanting to say anything in case Tyson would hear them.

As he walked down the hall you could see Tyson fiddling with his phone anxious to call you as soon as he got settled onto the bus. In fact, he was so lost in it he was almost past you without noticing you. Thankfully, once again Gabe saved the day.

“Hey there mama.” He spoke loudly, wrapping an arm around you in a hug while you whispered your thanks to him because you’d never be able to forget seeing Tyson’s reaction. Gabe had made this happen and you definitely owed him. Hearing the word mama made Tyson freeze and he backpedaled two steps before looking up.

“Holy shit.” He murmured upon seeing you and then his arms were wrapped around you tightly as he picked you up off the ground. “What are you doing here?” He added as you pulled him toward the bus once he’d put you down because you’d already delayed them long enough.

“Did you really think I’d do something like this and then not be able to see you for a week?” You asked. “I’m coming with you. Your captain already took care of it, I’m flying with you to Dallas and you have a new roommate assignment for the rest of the trip; I hear they’re a bit high maintenance with the vomiting in the morning though so I hope you can handle it.”

Tyson was clearly excited but at the same time, you could tell that he was overwhelmed by everything. As you climbed onto the bus, you looked to Tyson to point out where to sit.

“You’ve been sick?” He asked, concern on his face as he responded to your comment about vomiting.

“It’s completely normal. Morning sickness is a very real thing but I can handle it.” You assured him.

“How long have you known?” He whispered his free hand gently reaching to brush against your stomach.

“About a week and a half, this all took some time to plan…” You trailed off watching all the emotions flicker through his eyes as he looked at you. “Your teammates were a big help. I wanted to make this special for you because you’ve done so much for me.”

“I…I can’t believe this is real. Finally. And you deserve all of it.” He declared. “You made me cry. Thanks for that.”

“I know.” You teased. “And it’s very real. We’re having a baby.”

“We are.” He agreed, leaning over to kiss you gently before pulling back. “Wait…what do you mean you know?” He inquired. “Are the boys spilling locker room secrets?”

“Tyson really…do you think I’d plan something like this and not want to be able to see your reaction. Josty was face timing me.” Reaching over you laced your fingers with his. “Your reaction was everything I wanted. Everything I needed.” You assured him.

All you wanted was for him to be as happy about this as you were. Because up until now it hadn’t really felt real and maybe it still didn’t for him but with the changes your body was already going through and his reaction tonight it was now all so very real for you that in 7 months you were going to be holding the baby that you had been waiting on for so long.

“This was not how I expected you to tell me you were pregnant…” Tyson murmured just staring at you softly as you snuggled in next to him on the bus. Hopefully, you would be at the airport soon because you could already feel the energy draining out of you.

“Well just saying it wouldn’t be any fun…” You explained. “I had to do something different.”

“I’m not complaining, it was perfect and I love you.” He spoke softly, his lips brushing against your hair. “Tired love?” He breathed seeing you yawn and when you nodded he wrapped an arm around you.

“We’re almost to the airport and you can sleep on the plane.”

“I know.” You assured him.

To and from the plane, Tyson insisted on carrying the single bag you’d brought in addition to his own suitcase and the hockey bag on his shoulder. Though you’d napped on the plane, the minute you entered the hotel room you collapsed onto the bed completely exhausted.

Needless to say, you had a new admiration for Tyson and all players for coping with the travel and crazy schedule because you’d been in three cities in two days and maybe it was because you were pregnant but you were exhausted.

Setting all your things down, Tyson gently tugged your shoes off your feet before gently and carefully helping you to undress, slipping one of his own t-shirts over your head. It wasn’t that you couldn’t do it yourself but Tyson had always been great at taking care of you and this was just further proof to you that he was the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with and who was going to be an absolutely amazing father to any children the two of you had, including the one currently inside you.

By the time he crawled into bed with you, you were already half asleep but hearing him whisper goodnight to both you and the baby made you smile and you snuggled back into him as he wrapped his arm around your torso, his hand caressing your belly.

Tomorrow was the first day the two of you would awake knowing that you’re going to be parents. Tomorrow was the start to the rest of your lives together.


	3. Chapter 3

Shortly after your surprise to tell Tyson you were pregnant, Gabe and Mel had revealed that they were also expecting. The Avs were going to have two hockey babies right around the same time and it had spirits bright as the team focused on the race to the playoffs. 

Sadly, the season ended once again without the cup. As summer began, the four of you had been out for dinner together, chatting about life in general and the babies. You were right at 20 weeks pregnant now, your bump on full display and Tyson had mentioned you having an ultrasound to find out the baby’s sex in just a few days. 

“Wait…you’re not doing a gender reveal?” Gabe inquired and you sent him a look like ‘why is that even necessary.’ 

“No…we’re just going to find out. We don’t need to do a big reveal.” You insisted, Tyson nodding in agreement from beside you. The two of you had talked about it at length but it just felt right that it was something for the two of you to share together without anyone else. 

“But…but no.” Gabe insisted. “You have to do a reveal.” He seemed so offended at the thought of the whole thing being downplayed and you just shook your head, looking at Mel to tone her husband back just a bit. Out of the group of you, Gabe was definitely the most rambunctious one, Tyson could be, but at the same time lately, he seemed to enjoy just keeping things simple and taking every moment as it came. 

“Oh come on!” Gabe insisted. “You know a reveal would be more fun. Plus…” He trailed off his voice becoming slightly whiny. “Everyone is going their separate ways for the summer and this would be a great way to kick that off.” 

Glancing at Tyson, you sighed. You really didn’t want this to be a big thing…the announcement itself had been that, but you didn’t think Gabe was going to let it go until you had agreed to let him plan something. 

The look on Gabe’s face when you finally agreed to let him plan something for that weekend told you that there was no way this was going to be anything but big. 

_____

Two days later you found yourself back at your doctor’s office for another appointment and ultrasound. You’d told the doctor that Gabe had insisted that you not be told the sex of the baby and since you and Mel had the same doctor she just laughed knowing that was very much like Gabriel Landeskog. 

After the doctor took all of your measurements, assuring you that everything seemed to be on track, she pulled out the ultrasound machine and instructed you to lift up your shirt so that she could spread the cold gel onto your bump. With Tyson sitting beside you, you felt yourself already tearing up at the thought of seeing your child. 

The moment the image flickered onto the screen, the tears fell from your eyes because the baby looked absolutely perfect. As she did her examination, the doctor pointed out the baby’s head, feet, and hands. Seeing your baby’s nose, it’s tiny fingers moving around on the screen was incredible and you were falling more and more in love by the second. 

“Let’s see if we can get baby to give Mr. Landeskog its sex…” Your doctor declared and as she moved the wand she started to turn the screen away from you and Tyson. However, in the same moment, the baby shifted inside of you and before the screen was fully pointed away you were able to get just enough of a glance and even with that one glance it was obvious. 

“Tys…it’s a boy.” You found yourself murmuring and the smile on your doctor’s face immediately assured you that you were right. Turning the screen back to you she chuckled.

“I guess Gabe didn’t count on your son being a showoff now did he.” She joked and though you heard her, you were focused on the expression on Tyson’s face as he now saw for himself the ultrasound that showed that your assessment of it being a boy was very much supported by a certain physical attribute. 

“A boy…” Tyson breathed and suddenly he was crying as well. “We’re having a son!” 

This was exactly what you had wanted the moment to be from the start and mentally you praised your little boy for one-upping his uncle Gabe already. As the doctor finished up the ultrasound, Tyson kissed you and you couldn’t help but brush your thumb over his cheek, wiping away the tear tracks. 

“Are you excited?” You asked him and he nodded, his forehead pressed to yours gently in an intimate gesture. 

“I would have been excited either way…but a little boy y/n…I almost can’t believe it. I thought it was a girl for sure.” That was the first time Tyson had admitted to you what he had thought the baby was and you couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“I had a feeling it was a boy.” You admitted. 

Your moment was broken as the doctor handed you paper towels to clean the excess gel off of your stomach. She handed you the envelope with the baby’s sex ‘for Gabe’ and declared that your pictures would be printed up at the front desk and to schedule your next appointment for in a month. You’d already decided that you would be coming to and from Denver throughout the summer so that you didn’t have to find another doctor so you made a mental note to schedule the appointment around the plans you and Tyson already had. 

As you left the office hand in hand with Tyson, you couldn’t help the smile that was on your face. 

“Guess we have to work on our surprise looks.” You teased, knowing that you couldn’t just come out and tell Gabe that you knew. Not when Mel had constantly been texting you with all of the things Gabe had been putting together for this party. Leaning against the side of his car, Tyson kissed you, his hand falling to rest over your bump. 

“I guess so.” He murmured. “I’m glad we found out this way for real though.” He admitted and you nodded. Now you could bask in the knowledge secretly for a few days just the two of you before the whole world found out. 

“Best of both worlds for sure.” You agreed. 

___

The sun was shining in Denver as you made your way up the driveway of Gabe and Mel’s house for your baby reveal party. The moment you stepped through the door, you could tell that half of the team was already here, the sounds of boisterous boys spilling in from the backyard. 

As Tyson made his way through to join them, you found Mel and some of the other better halves in the kitchen. 

“What can I do to help?” You asked, leaning against the counter, the bottle of non-alcoholic wine Tyson had found you now resting there. At the sound of your voice, Mel immediately looked up, moving to hug you, both of your baby bumps meeting in the middle causing you to laugh. 

“There she is!” She exclaimed. “You can do nothing because today is all about you.” She immediately declared garnering the support of everyone else. “Well and this beautiful boy or girl of course.” She added, sending you a wink. The house was covered in a mix of blue and pink decorations and it certainly looked like a party store had exploded. 

“Fine…at least hand me a few glasses and a corkscrew so I can open our little treat.” You insisted, showing her the bottle. “Just as good as the real stuff but no one can yell at us.” You declared smiling. 

“Okay fine…ooo wine.” Mel agreed and upon pouring her a glass you quickly handed it over to her. 

“It’s not quite as good as real wine, but…it’s close enough.” You declared, sipping from your own glass. It was enough to give you the taste of it and was certainly better than the stuff you usually found in the grocery store. Within moments, you were being handed a plate of food by EJ’s girl and you thanked her before popping a cherry tomato into your mouth. 

“How are you feeling, are you ready to find out?” Ryan Graves’s girlfriend asked as she bustled about the kitchen with whatever task Mel had given her. 

“Feeling good. Little one is becoming more and more active by the day. I’m thinking it will only be a few more weeks before Tys can feel the kicks.” Even after just a day or so it was already hard to censor yourself from alluding to the fact that you knew it was a boy. You were well aware that if you slipped you could just play it off but still, it was better safe than sorry. You hadn’t realized that you hadn’t answered the second part of the question until Mel was looking over at you with an eagle eye. Double-checking to ensure that her husband wasn’t lurking nearby she whispered softly. 

“You already know don’t you?” The look on your face immediately gave away that you did and you blushed softly as she teasingly scolded you. 

“It’s not my fault he takes after Tyson…” You threw back, before slapping a hand over your mouth. All of the ladies in earshot let out a gasp before busting out into a round of laughter. “Doctor tried to hide it but he shifted at the same time and _it_ was just there. I’m not stupid.” You defended. 

“A boy,” Mel whispered to you excitedly and when you nodded she squealed before wrapping you into another tight hug. “I hope you’re planning to play along for my husband’s sake but I’m so happy for you two. I’m glad you got what you wanted.” Mel truly was the sweetest and you were so grateful to have someone going through this with you. Already you knew that your babies were going to be best friends. Especially because when you were belly to belly like this, you could feel even more movement from your son. 

“We fully plan on playing along but Tyson may be out there extorting some money from your men.” You teased. “Also. If I haven’t said this before…our babies are going to be best friends because this little one is going crazy right now.” Mel laughed insisting that Tyson had every right to extort some money from Gabe and that she was absolutely down for our kids to be just as close as their dads are. 

Soon after you were directed outside because it was a beautiful day and so topped off glass in hand you headed out to find your boyfriend, moving to perch on his lap as he chatted with his teammates. The second you joined him, Tyson’s hand fell to your bump rubbing gently. This was truly the life, being surrounded by good friends, the man you loved and with your son growing big and strong inside you. 

When EJ sat down to your left he sent you a critical look before speaking. 

“So Tys here says he thinks it’s a girl but he’ll only bet on it being a boy because that’s what you think it is….” He trailed off, his tone almost accusatory. 

“That’s because he’s a smart man EJ.” You responded. “Trusts the woman that’s actually, you know, carrying the baby.” After a moment EJ let out a huff before getting up and moving across the porch to chat with the rookie Cale Makar who looked a little bit out of place. 

A few more guys came over to make conversation about the baby and your summer plans before Gabe finally called everyone’s attention declaring that it was time to find out what the baby was. Immediately everyone started to make last-minute bets and you smirked as you kissed Tyson before plastering an unknowing and anxious face on. 

Taking your hands, Gabe tugged you out into the middle of the yard. Posted at one end was a net with five discs, one at each of the corners and one in the middle. Gabe handed you and Tyson each a stick before dumping a bucket of pucks at your feet. As he did so he explained that one of the discs was filled with a colored power based on the envelope you’d given him after the appointment and you’d find out the sex of the baby when you hit the right disc. 

“That’s fair.” You declared shrugging. “Though I’m not sure why I have a stick…” You added. 

“Because you have to participate too,” Gabe stated, his tone slightly annoyed like it was obvious. 

“Um…you realize if it’s up to me, the baby will be here before I hit any of the discs.” The yard filled with laughter at your statement, mostly because everyone knew you were 100% right. You were a writer, not an athlete and there was no way you were going to be able to hit a single thing. “And so I don’t hurt the baby…maybe we just let Tys do it.” You insisted. 

“Fine,” Gabe muttered and you moved to kiss his cheek and hug him causing his smile to return. Hand on your bump you motioned for Tyson to go for it. 

“Come on. I’ve waited long enough.” You insisted, Mel sending you a wink as Tyson took the first shot, hitting the disc dead center to watch it merely break and fall to the ground. After a few more shots he had hit both discs on the right side also to no result. The top left was also the same and though you already knew you found yourself bouncing, waiting for blue powder to finally come flying through the air. 

Tyson missed the next three shots and you yelled at him to just hurry it up already. Finally, finally, he clipped just the edge of the last remaining target and the faintest puff of blue spilled out causing Mel to scream that it was a boy! As everyone around you started to cheer you watched Tyson take one more shot to actually destroy the disc before he turned to swoop you into his arms, kissing you thoroughly. 

This was a crazy group, with the craziest being Uncle Gabe, but it was a group you were so looking forward to bringing your son into the world surrounded by. 

And if Uncle Gabe never found out that his reveal was truly only for the members of the team and not mom and dad…well…that was a secret people were willing to keep. 


	4. Chapter 4

Fifteen months ago you had stood in this same spot, watching as Gabe summoned your boyfriend over to your side of the rink. That night you’d slept together for the first time, attempting to create a child together. 

Tonight you stood here, Mel right beside you as you both balanced your infants on your hips. This was Benjamin and Linnea’s first game and you knew both Tyson and Gabe were so excited to have their babies here to cheer them on. As Tys skated by you, you held Ben’s little fist up to the glass. Soon both Tyson and Gabe lapped around and you smiled as you watched them both babble through the glass at their babies who were draped in tiny Barrie and Landeskog jerseys. 

**

It had been such a whirlwind the past few months but you honestly couldn’t ask for anything better. 

Benjamin had entered the world just hours after Tyson played in the Avalanche’s home opener. A heavily pregnant Mel had been by your side when you went into labor mere minutes after sending Tyson out the door, insisting that you were fine. Certain that labor would likely take at least 12 hours, you hadn’t bothered to alert Tyson, figuring he had plenty of time to play the game before joining you at the hospital. He had yelled at you for that when all was said and done, but you wouldn’t have changed your response at all. 

Honestly, labor had been a lot more tolerable screaming at the television as Tyson got an apple in the first game of the season. Mel simply laughed at you as she ensured the nurses kept you supplied with ice chips. When the game ended you finally called Tyson and instructed him to meet you at the hospital. It was only after he and Gabe had arrived that labor intensified. You refused to grip at Tyson’s hand, not wanting to be responsible for him having broken fingers at the start of a new season. Instead, you let him trace patterns over the back of your hand as you gripped the bars of the hospital bed tightly. 

Though Mel and Gabe insisted on staying, around 1 am you’d convinced them both to go home and rest, not wanting Mel to put her or their daughter’s health at risk. 

As the middle of the night hours slowly ticked by, your labor began quickly progressing, and by 3:30 am your son had made his way into the world. As a screaming, red-skinned little boy squirmed against your chest, you looked up at Tyson who once again had tears in his eyes. Though you were both physically and emotionally exhausted, the exhilaration of holding your son outweighed everything else. 

“Thank you,” Tyson whispered against your temple as he hovered over you and your newborn son. You wanted to insist that you should be thanking him. He was the one that had given you everything you had ever wanted after all. “Thank you for not shooting down my crazy idea. Thank you for letting me love you and loving me in return. Thank you for starting a family with me.” Tyson continued, his lips sealing yours in a soft kiss as you turned your head up to look at him. 

Knowing you didn’t need to voice your thanks for Tyson to know, you kissed him again before returning your attention to the newborn against your chest. He’d settled a little bit since being placed there and you were content to just feel his skin against yours until the nurses came back to steal him away for some tests. 

“What should we name him?” You whispered. You’d been tossing a few names back and forth but hadn’t officially decided anything prior to his arrival. 

“Benjamin?” Tyson had questioned knowing that was one of the few names you’d both agreed on previously. Pondering for a moment you eventually nodded. 

“Benjamin Wyatt Barrie?” 

“Perfect.” Tyson breathed. 

Linnea had entered the world just three weeks after Ben. With Gabe home with an injury and Tyson traveling with the team, you’d often found yourself at the Landeskog residence. Having the help of Gabe and Mel made caring for Ben so much easier and from the first moment you’d laid Ben at Linnea’s side, it was clear that the two babies adored each other. In fact, you and Mel generally had at least two playdates a week, letting your babies bond and spend time together while you and Mel gave each other a little bit of a break. 

**

Glancing back over at Mel, you saw that Linnea was asleep on her shoulder. Ben on the other hand was wide awake, watching as pucks moved around rapidly on the ice in front of him. Ben was only a few months old, but it was already clear that he loves hockey. The older he gets the more you realize that he is 100% Tyson’s son and it never failed to make you smile. 

Tyson lapped around one more time before leaving the ice, blowing a kiss to you and Ben. From there you and Mel headed up to the better halves suite to take in the game. The location of the seats was truly the only difference between this game and the game that started it all. Though Tyson had taken a smaller role to allow for the growth of Makar, it was still incredible watching him on the second power-play unit and when he scored, he pointed up in the direction of the box. 

“Daddy scored that one for you Ben,” You whispered to your sleeping son. “He’s gonna be so upset you missed it.” You teased, your fingers trailing through the dark hair that littered your son’s head. 

A while later, with another win in the books, you joined Mel and the rest of the better halves downstairs as you waited for the boys to shower and dress. When Josty popped out of the locker room, he insisted on stealing Ben for a few minutes and you couldn’t help but smile. Whatever girl eventually won his heart was going to be lucky because he was absolutely fantastic with both Ben and Linnea. 

“Josty! Give my son back!” Your Tyson teased when he finally made his way out of the locker room. He didn’t actually take his son back right away though, instead draping his hands around your waist as he leaned in to kiss you. When he pulled back he dropped a puck from his pocket into your hands and you smiled. 

“Ben’s first game puck from daddy’s goal.” You surmised, fingers running over the tape along the edge that confirmed just that. “I hate to break it to you babe, but he slept through it.” Tyson laughed as he moved to scoop Ben back from Josty. 

“That’s alright. It’s just the first of many.” He proclaimed. “And we can always watch it together later, huh Benny.” Tyson moved through the arena with ease, taking the diaper bag from you and carrying his son until you reached the car. There he gently slid Ben into his seat and buckled him in before opening your door and stealing another kiss. 

As you rode home tucked into the passenger seat, your hand rested on top of Tyson’s over the center console. As you passed under streetlights, the diamond ring on your left hand glittered. 

You were so grateful in vitro was not your only option.


End file.
